Lower back pain is a common ailment and affects many people at some point in their lives. Frequently, this pain is the result of cracks or fissures that develop in the wall of the intervertebral disc. These fissures are filled with small nerve endings and blood vessels, and often are a chronic source of pain. Additionally, the inner disc tissue (nucleus) frequently bulges (herniates) into these fissures in the outer region of the disc, likewise stimulating pain sensors within the disc.
Electrosurgical procedures provide minimally invasive treatment options for treating lower back pain by applying thermal energy (i.e., heat) to the affected area. Electrosurgical procedures have been developed for use in other pain management procedures, such as denervation procedures. An electrosurgical generator provides electrical energy, such as, for example, high frequency and radio frequency electrical energy. In particular, the electrical energy provided by the electrosurgical generator is used in pain management procedures to modify the structure of tissue.